Korea Living Guide — Wages, Contracts, Housing and Health Insurance for Foreign Workers and Students

We answer the questions foreigners working in Korea ask most, based on Korean law. Figures are for 2026, and official sources are listed under each article.

• Korea Minimum Wage 2026 and Weekly Holiday Pay — Do Foreign Workers Get the Same?

  The 2026 minimum wage is 10,320 KRW per hour, or 2,156,880 KRW per month for 40 hours a week. It applies equally to foreigners, part-timers, and international students, and if you work 15+ hours a week you also get weekly holiday pay.

• How to Calculate Severance Pay in Korea — Do Foreigners and Part-Timers Get It After 1 Year?

  If you worked at the same workplace for 1 year or more and 15+ hours a week, you get severance pay regardless of nationality or workplace size. It is 30 days of average wages per year worked and must be paid within 14 days after you leave.

• Not Paid Your Salary in Korea? How to Report Unpaid Wages (Foreigners Can Too)

  For unpaid wages, call the Ministry of Employment and Labor at 1350, then file a complaint with the labor office. It is free, and foreigners, including undocumented residents, can report. Documents, steps, and deadlines explained.

• Red Flags in Korean Employment and Rental Contracts — What to Check Before You Sign

  Penalty fees, passport confiscation, giving up weekly holiday or severance pay, 70% probation pay, bans on move-in registration, deposit forfeiture: invalid or risky clauses in Korean contracts and the laws behind them.

• How Foreigners Protect a Jeonse or Monthly Rent Deposit in Korea — Address Report, Fixed-Date Stamp, Property Register, Deposit Insurance

  For foreigners, alien registration and the report of change of residence have the same effect as move-in registration, so you can protect your deposit under the Housing Lease Protection Act. Fixed-date stamps, checking the property register, HUG deposit insurance, and the lease registration order explained.

• Health Insurance for Foreigners in Korea and Using Hospitals — 6-Month Mandatory Enrollment, Premiums, Finding an ER

  Foreigners staying in Korea for 6 months or more must enroll in national health insurance. In 2026 the minimum premium for foreign local subscribers is 158,630 KRW a month, with a 50% reduction for international students. Also covers visa extension limits for unpaid premiums and how to find an ER or pharmacy.

• Helplines for Foreigners in Korea — 1345, 1350, 1577-0071, 1577-1366, 112, 119

  Korean public helplines where foreigners can get help in their own language, by situation: stay and visas, wages and work, family and violence, legal issues, and emergencies, with operating hours and supported languages.

• How Many Hours Can International Students Work in Korea? D-2 and D-4 Part-Time Work Permission and Banned Jobs

  With part-time work permission, international students (D-2) can work 10–35 hours on weekdays depending on Korean ability, and with no hour limit on weekends and vacations if they meet the requirement. Language students (D-4) become eligible after 6 months. Banned jobs and penalties explained.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult the Ministry of Employment and Labor (1350) or a lawyer.